Enriched 

Virtual Mode of 
Instruction
Academic Year
2020­2021
It�is�the�commitment�
of�the�University�of�
Santo�Tomas�to�
partake�in�the�mission�
of�the�Church�in�
proclaiming�the�Truth�
of�the�Gospel�as�
embodied�in�our�
motto,�
Veritas in Caritate
(Truth in Charity).
Under�the�Institute�of�Religion's�supervision,�all�
Thomasian�students�shall�take�the�Theology�
curriculum�designed�in�an�outcomes-based�
educative�manner.�The�curriculum�offers�four�
Theology�courses�with�the�following�codes�and�
titles:

THY�1:�Christian�Vision�of�the�Human�Person
THY�2:�Christian�Vision�of�Marriage�and�the�Family
THY�3:�Christian�Vision�of�the�Church�in�Society
THY�4:�Living�the�Christian�Vision�in�the�Contemporary�
World
 Theology
Course
Pedagogy

IR�uses�a�signature�pedagogy�
called�Dominican-Thomistic�
Education�by�Design,�also�
known�as�DoT-ED�
Framework.�
 DoT-Ed�follows�a�four-step�approach:
Study-Research-Analysis-Action (SRAA).
Course Information
THY�2�is�a�General�Education�Course�with�a�
course�credit�of�3�units.�As�an�outcomes-based�
undergraduate�theology�course,�it�provides�a
complete�understanding�of�marriage�and�
family�as�a�Christian�vocation�rooted�in�the�
Catholic�faith.
 COURSE OBJECTIVES

CILO1:�Develop�a�family-oriented�program�that�would�
reflect�preferential�option�for�the�Poor.
CILO2:�Relate�with�the�struggles�and�concerns�of�the�poor�
in�the�area�of�marriage�and�family.
CILO3:�Organize�a�program�that�would�respond�to�the�
needs�and�conditions�of�families�especially�of�the�poor�and�
underprivileged.
CILO4:�Advocate�the�protection�and�preservation�of�the�
sanctity�of�marriage�and�family�by�taking�an�active�role�as�
evangelizer�in�one’s�own�family.�
 COURSE OBJECTIVES

CILO5:�Develop�attitudes�and�skills�in�the�art�of�listening�
and�dialogue�towards�a�more�effective�communication�in�
the�family.�
CILO6:�Engage�in�the�Church’s�advocacy�in�promoting�
marriage�and�family�life.
CILO7:�Analyze�the�different�issues�and�challenges�on�
marriage�and�family�and�discover�ways�to�overcome�them�
in�the�light�of�the�Church’s�doctrine.
CILO8:�Integrate�the�moral�principles�concerning�marriage�
and�family�into�responsible�choices�and�actions�in�one’s�
everyday�life.�
 COURSE OBJECTIVES

CILO9:�Organize�a�forum�that�addresses�issues�
confronted�by�the�family�today.
CILO10:�Formulate�a�personal�vision�of�Christian�
marriage�and�family.
CILO11:�Continuously�adhere�to�the�teachings�of�
the�Church�on�the�family.
CILO12:�Design�a�program�that�promotes�and�
strengthens�the�dignity�of�marriage�and�family.
Course Outline
The�course�covers�the�following�topics�and�subtopics:

UNIT�1:�FUNDAMENTAL�CHRISTIAN�DIMENSION
A. Family�as�a�Social�Institution
B. Functions�of�the�Family
C. Positive�Contribution�of�Family�to�the�Society
D. Family�as�a�Domestic�Church�
Course Outline
The�course�covers�the�following�topics�and�subtopics:

UNIT�II.�CHRISTIAN�PERSPECTIVE�OF�MARRIAGE

A. Biblical�Perspective:�Old�Testament
B. Biblical�Perspective:�New�Testament
C. Theological�Perspective�of�Marriage
D. Christian�Dimensions�of�Marriage
Course Outline
The�course�covers�the�following�topics�and�subtopics:

UNIT�III.�EDUCATION�IN�HUMAN�LOVE
A. Remote�Preparations�in�Marriage
B. Proximate�Preparations�in�Marriage
C. Immediate�Preparations�in�Marriage
Course Outline
The�course�covers�the�following�topics�and�subtopics:

UNIT�IV.�PASTORAL�RESPONSE�OF�THE�CHURCH�
TO�ISSUES�AFFECTING�THE�FAMILY
A.�Current�Threats�affecting�the�Family
B.�Families�in�Challenging�Situations
C.�Responsible�Parenthood�
D.�Special�Questions�on�Christian�Marriage�and�
Family
 CHRISTIAN VISION OF MARRIAGE
AND FAMILY

THY 2
Academic Year 2020­2021

ALL ppt presentations and content are the works of the Course Developers of the Institute
of Religion. The artistic/pedagogical form were prepared by- Mr. Joseph Albert DG Reyes
and Mr. Bryan B. Albia,, to be used by IR faculty teaching THY2. For my classes, I edited some 
parts of the work. 

 
Observe
and The files or materials are for your 
class in Theology only. Do not 
Respect share any powerpoint/material to 
Intellectual anyone who is not enrolled in my 
class – in your section taking 
Property Theology 2. Do not share this in 
Rights Law any public/social media sharing 
sites or study resources websites. 
 ü to understand that these materials and 
resources are the property of the University 
of Santo Tomas, copyrighted to the 
respective authors of each material or 
resource. 
Intellectual Property ü Students shall use these materials and 
Rights of resources only for the intended purpose of 
materials/resources: learning in this course…
ü  to ensure that these materials are not 
reproduced, shared, or used outside of the 
University and for purposes not consistent 
with the intent of the course (e.g. slides 
hare, course hero etc..)
Let us observe data privacy 
law which also includes
videos of our discussion. Observe and
Respect The DATA
Do not upload in any social  PRIVACY LAW
media sites: discussion of  Republic Act 10173 
the teacher with students,  – Data Privacy Act 
personal sharing, reports of  of 2012
other groups or classmates, 
etc. To be used for private 
study of lessons only.
 Do to
others • The Golden Rule is the principle of 
treating others as you want to be treated. 

what you It is a maxim that is found in most 

religions and cultures ­ Antony Flew, ed. (1979). 
"golden rule". A Dictionary of Philosophy. London: Pan Books 

would like in association with The MacMillan Press. p. 134.

others to
• Example:  己所不欲，勿施於人
"What you do not wish for yourself, do not do
to others.“ Confucianism
do unto
you
1. Talk directly to your
professor, during class
or after class or an
email message will do
2. Your Parents/guardian
3. IR Director
4. Your College Dean and
or Regent/priest
Mode of Instructional Delivery
Synchronous and Asynchronous
Learning Management System
Blackboard Learn
Learning Assessment
Formative�assessments�(FAs)�and�summative�
assessments�(SAs)�shall�be�administered�to�
assess�your�learning.�
FAs�such�as�drills,�activities,�and�short�
quizzes�are�non-gradable.�

SAs�are�those�that�are�gradable.�These�
include�a)�summative�tests;�b)�course�
inquiry�project;�and�c)�major�exam.
Grading System
Grading System
We�shall�follow�the�5-point�numerical�grade�stipulated�
in�PPS�no.�1019�of�the�Student�Handbook�as�shown�in�
the�table:�
Course References
Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland, trans. The Code of Canon Law 
(in English Translation). Manila: Daughters of Saint Paul, 2001.

Francis. Post­Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on Love in the Family (Amoris 
Laetitia). 19 March 2016. Vatican Archive, https://w2.vatican.va/ content/dam/ 
francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papafrancesco_esortazione­ap_ 
20160319_amoris­laetitia_en.pdf (accessed 12 June 2018).

John Paul II. Apostolic Exhortation on the Role of the Christian Family in the
Modern World (Familiaris Consortio). 22 November 1981. Vatican
Archive, http://w2.vatican.va/content/john­paul­ii/en/apost_
exhortations/documents/hf_jp­ii_exh_19811122_familiarisconsortio.html (accessed 12 
June 2018).
__________. The Theology of the Body: Human Love in the Divine Plan. 
Boston,
USA: Daughters of St. Paul, 1997.
Course References
Lana, Tamerlane, et al. Marriage and Family: A Life of Love and 
Commitment. Manila: UST Publishing House, 2004. 

Paul VI. Encyclical Letter on the Regulation of Birth (Humanae Vitae). 25 
July 1968. Vatican Archive, 
http://w2.vatican.va/content/paulvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p­
vi_enc_25071968_humanaevitae.html (accessed 12 June 2018).

Republic of the Philippines. The Family Code of the Philippines. 6 July 1987. 
http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1987/07/06/executive­orderno­209­s­1987/ 
(accessed 12 June 2018).

Vatican II. Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World 
(Gaudium et Spes). 7 December 1965. Vatican Archive, http://www.vatican.va/ 
archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vatii_const_19651207_gaudium­et
­spes_en.html (accessed 12 June 2018).

Wojtyla, Karol. Love and Responsibility. Trans. H.T.Willets. San Francisco: 
Ignatius Press, 1981.
 13TH CENTURY DOMINICAN BLESSING
May God the Father bless us;
May God the Son heal us;
May God the Holy Spirit enlighten 
us;
Give us eyes to see with;
Ears to hear with;
Hands to do the work of God with;
Feet to walk with;
Mouth to preach the Word of 
salvation with;
And the angel of peace to watch
over us and
lead us at last to the Lord’s gift of
the Kingdom.

Amen.
 THEOLOGY 2
UNIT 1 - LESSON 2: 
POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE
FAMILY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This ppt presentation and content are the work of the Course

Developers of THY2 of the Institute of Religion to be used by IR faculty teaching THY1. 
For my classes, I edited some parts of the work. 
Reminder: Observe and Respect the
Intellectual Property Rights Law (IPR). 

This material is for your class in Theology only: 
1. Do not share this material to anyone who is not 
enrolled in our class. 
2. Do not share this in any public/social media
sharing sites or study resources websites
(example: slideshare, course hero etc..)
 Intellectual Property Rights of materials/resources:
Understand that these materials and resources are the property of the
University of Santo Tomas, copyrighted to the respective authors of each 
material or resource.  Students shall use these materials and resources 
(example: powerpoint/PDF files/ recorded videos of lesson, etc.…) only for 
the intended purpose of learning in this course… to ensure that these
materials are not reproduced, shared, or used outside of the University
and for purposes not consistent with the intent of the course. 
 OPENING PRAYER
 Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,
and defend us from every evil. Amen.
Patris Corde
Lily and Joey have been in a relationship for six years. Both are call-center agents working in Makati. 
In order to save both time and money, Joey proposed to Lily of renting a condo unit near Makati and 
at  the  same  time  to  live  with  him.  Being  a  Catholic,  Lily  was  not  very  open  to  the  idea  since  she 
believes  in  the  sanctity  of  marriage  and  living-in  goes  against  her  religious  faith.  Joey,  however, 
explained to her the advantages of living-in before marriage. It can be a time where they can truly 
test their compatibility in areas of personality, intimacy and making decisions. They can also equally 
share expenses since they will be living in just one roof and that set up enables them to save more 
money.  Living  together  will  also  help  them  develop  the  values  of  responsibility  and  commitment 
since it is almost similar to what a marriage is except the marital vows. If the arrangement will not 
work out, Joey explained that they can easily decide to cut their relationship and move on with their 
lives. 
Despite hesitation, Lily agreed, but with one condition, they will not have any children until they get 
married.  During  the  first  year,  they  found  it  difficult  to  adjust  but  eventually  they  were  able  to 
peacefully  settle  as  live-in  partners.  To  avoid  getting  pregnant  Lily  would  regularly  take 
contraceptives. During the second year, however, she got pregnant and eventually she delivered her 
first child. They had the child baptized, bearing the family name of Lily and not of Joey.  
A year later, Joey was asked by his parents to migrate and  work in  Australia and  because  of  better 
opportunities,  he  agreed  and  left  Lily  here  in  the  Philippines.  At  first,  they  were  regularly  in 
communication  and  Joey  was  sending  money  in  support  of  her  and  their  children.  Eventually, 
however,  he  met  someone  in  Australia,  fell  in  love  and  got  married,  leaving  Lily  here  in  the 
Philippines completely devastated. 
1. What are the advantages and the positive
contribution of marriage-based families in society?

2. What are the disadvantages of entering in

cohabitation relationships?
Note:
This is a group work. Your groupings can be found 
inside the GROUP tab in BB. You have the liberty 
to decide on which meeting app you would like to 
use as a group. The detailed instructions can be 
found in the COURSE CONTENT tab 
 The benefits of marriage and family cannot be overemphasized. 
They confer essential benefits for the well-being of:
1. the husband and the wife, 
2. their children, 
3. (and ultimately ) for the good of the greater society.

Based on the research of Musick and Bumpass: 

“Traditional marriage-based families are far more beneficial in maintaining 
the well-being of the family compared with non-marital relationships such 
as  those  living  in  cohabitation  relationships.  This  is  mainly  due  to  the 
institutional character of marriage which provides the normative and legal 
structure that specifies rights, responsibilities and standards of appropriate 
behavior for both husband and wife together with their children.” 
Kelly Musick & Larry Bumpass (2006)
 HUSBAND & WIFE

• Marital roles facilitate interaction 
between spouses by offering 
guidelines about how to be a good 
wife or husband. 

• Because responsibilities are defined, 
marriage  enables the husband and 
the wife  to develop moral and 
personal discipline which contributes 
to a stable domestic life within the 
family ensuring the mutual support 
and stability needed for the total 
well-being of the family. 
 THEIR CHILDREN
The family environment provided by marriage 

1. allows children to grow, mature and flourish.
  
1. married family satisfies the children’s need 
to know their biological origins which 
connect them to both a mother and a father.
 
1. establishes a framework of love for nurturing 
them which includes providing them their 
education and personal development and 
supporting their identity as they learn to 
move about the larger world. 
4. Economic resources of spouses assure the economic well-being of 
the whole family which has a direct influence on the well-being of 
children and facilitates effective family functioning. 

5. Parental socialization provides children with warmth and affection 
as well as the discipline necessary for the guidance of children 
towards exercising the right behavior. Teenagers who are strongly 
attached to their parents are more likely to care about normative 
expectations of parents which protect them against delinquent 
impulses. 

6. The stability of the family prevents family conflict and disruption, 
enabling children to have a stress-free environment where they can 
live more in harmony and well-being.
Susan L. Brown, Journal of Marriage and Family 
(2004)
 THE GOOD OF THE GREATER SOCIETY

1. The  web of relationships that the family 
generates,  provides the key component of 
the “social capital” necessary for the proper 
functioning of civil societies. 

Social capital = the networks of relationships 

among people who live and work in a particular 
society, enabling that society to function effectively. 
 is a set of shared values that allows individuals to 
work together in a group to effectively achieve a 
common purpose. The idea is generally used to 
describe how members are able to band together in 
society to live harmoniously.
 THE GOOD OF THE GREATER SOCIETY

Relationships within the family serve as the 

mechanism whereby members learn and
acquire virtues like generosity, self-sacrifice,
trust and self-discipline which positively
contribute to the well-being of social life.  

When marriage breaks down and becomes 
widespread, society is affected by a host of 
social problems, and these can include 
increased poverty, crime and drug abuse.   
2. The human and social capital 
provided by the family also 
contributes to the development of 
the nation’s economy. 

a) The continuous provision and 
generation of productive workers 
and taxpayers that the family 
provides is a key  ingredient in the 
growth of the national economy. 
b) Societies, therefore, with aging populations 
and low birth rates  can be imperiled 
should there be a decline in the population 
of families.  

c) Intact families likewise contribute to the 
stability of the state and can improve the 
total well-being of civil societies by 
diminishing the cost spent normally for: 
State- control and other bureaucratic social 
agencies, especially when social disorder 
increases. 
 The positive contribution of marriage-based families originates from
God’s overall eternal plan of LOVE for humanity

• God,  being the author of marriage endowed it with various benefits 
and purposes, assuring its stability. 

• It has an institutional character based on the mutual consent and 
conjugal love between spouses which is total,  exclusive and 
permanent. 

• This definitive commitment serves as a guarantee that the relationship 
among family members are also marked by a sense of justice, of 
mutual rights and duties. 
• Marriage is a sacrament, it is a sign and 
instrument  of grace. 

• The covenant love between husband and 
wife makes visible the spousal love of Christ 
for the Church revealing the fullest meaning 
and truth of what marriage is, a permanent 
sign of God’s love for humanity in his Son 
Jesus Christ whose love gives himself as the 
Savior of humanity. 
The sacramental grace gives to Christian 
couples and parents a power and a 
commitment to live their vocation as lay 
people and therefore to ‘seek the kingdom 
of God  by engaging in temporal affairs and 
by ordering them according to the plan of 
God. 
• Together with the couple, the whole family as well is called to be a sign 
of unity for the world and to exercise its prophetic role by bearing 
witness to the kingdom and peace of Christ.  

• The Christian family is more than a social, political or economic entity, it 
is a “Domestic Church.” 

• By constructing daily a network of interpersonal relationships, both 
internal and external, the family is also “the first and irreplaceable 
school of social life and a stimulus for the broader community 
relationships marked by respect, justice, dialogue and love.”
• The Church believes that the 
State as much as possible 
should promote legislations that 
strengthen monogamous 
marriages as the only authentic 
form of family. 

• Public authorities must try to 
ensure that public opinion is not 
led to undervalue the 
institutional importance of 
marriage and the family.
 Jesus, Mary and Joseph, in you we contemplate the splendor 
of true love, to you we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that our families too may be 
places of communion and prayer, authentic schools of the 
Gospel and small domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth, may families never again experience 
violence, rejection and division: may all who have been hurt 
or scandalized find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth, make us once more mindful of the 
sacredness and inviolability of the family, and its beauty in 
God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, graciously hear our prayer. Amen.

http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2013/docum
ents/papa­francesco_angelus_20131229.html
 OPENING PRAYER
 Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer,
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son;
in you Mary placed her trust;
with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too,
show yourself a father
and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage,
and defend us from every evil. Amen.
Patris Corde
 UNIT I: LESSON 3
THE FAMILY AS A 
DOMESTIC CHURCH

ORIGINAL PPT FOR LESSON 3 WAS PREPARED BY 
ASSOC. PROF. ALLAN BASAS, Ph.D. 
Because of the community quaratine, Pio’s family has never gone to 
church  to  hear  mass.  For  almost  a  year  now,  they  missed  all  the 
important  holy  days  of obligation.  They  did  not  go  to Church  during 
Ash Wednesday, neither  were  they able  to perform their usual  Holy 
Week observances, such as the Visita Iglesia. 

They  also  could  not  visit  the  tombs  of  their  departed  loved  ones 
during Undas, and  they  just  celebrated  Christmas  and  New  Year at 
home. But while the pandemic kept them from going to Church their 
parents  always  found  a  way  to  see  to  it  that  their  family  prays 
together: they recited the rosary every day, the Oratio Imperata, the 
Entrustment  of  the  Home  to  Mary  Help  of  Christians,  and  the 
Consecration  to  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary.  The  whole  family 
misses going to Church for the Holy Eucharist, but their daily prayers 
make it a little less sad. 
Making  the  most  out  of  the  lockdown,  Pio’s  parents  taught  them  many 
family  values  such  as  unity, friendship,  service,  respect,  and  love  for  one 
another.  And  although  Pio  received occasional naggings  from his  parents, 
what is important to him is that his parents are always around to help him 
with  his  schoolwork.  They  enjoyed  accomplishing  his  performance  tasks 
such as shooting videos and drawing. And while they missed visiting their 
relatives,  especially  his  grandparents,  thanks  to  the  social  media  that 
allows them to make video calls, the distance is made more bearable. The 
past several months has somehow confined Pio and his family at home. 

They were prevented from going doing their usual leisure trips but most of 
all, going to Church. However, the lockdown was an opportunity for them 
to discover that the Church is not confined to any spaces but is in fact their 
family who comes together to pray as they ought. 
• What are some family traditions that your parents 
keep alive in your own family? 

•   How did your elderly hand down these traditions to      
      you?
 How is every
Family a Domestic
Church?
 TEDxNaperville. The Future of Families: Four Discoveries that Change 
Everything.” 27 January 2016. video, 19:28.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLir3pHD3kI

Duck Model Elephant Model
Parents leading the way with children  Kids leading the way with guidance 
following their examples from parents
Hierarchical Web
Parent­Control/Driven Children­Control/Driven
 Should parents
and kids be best­
friends?

What are the implications of this

emerging parenting­style
phenomenon to:

• Roles
• Authority
• Decision­Making
Should parents give 
up on their decision­
making authority?
Parent Collaborati Kid
Control ve Control

• Are we doing society any favor by

investing too much authority on
kids?

• Are we expecting too much from

them?

• Are we putting undue stress on

 The Faith Exposed. “The Christian Family.” 30 December 2012. 
Video, 8:46. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMZ8YyBEqyw&t=6s

The Christian Family 
constitutes a specific 
revelation and realization of 
ecclesial community, and for 
this reason, it can and 
should be called a Domestic 
Church. 
John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio
1. THE NATURE OF THE
FAMILY AS DOMESTIC
• The family is an 
CHURCH
important gift that God 
has endowed man and 
the whole of humanity. 
• It is a community of 
grace.
• The family is a place of 
encounter with Christ 
within the community 
especially when 
members are actively 
participating in the 
mission of Christ 
entrusted to the Church. 
Second Vatican Council
• The family is the “Ecclesia Domestica”. 
• It is in the bosom of the family that parents 
are by word and example, the first heralds 
of the faith with regard to their children. 
Every home is called to
become a domestic church
wherein:

• Family life is completely 
centered on the Lordship of 
Christ.
• The love of husband and wife 
mirrors the mystery of Christ‘s 
love for the church, his bride. 
• Families are expected to be 
effective bearers of the Gospel 
in their community. 
• They should be witnesses as 
domestic churches (AL, 200). 
2. THE FAMILY IS CALLED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE THREEFOLD MISSION OF
JESUS CHRIST

• Prophetic: The family must be a believing and evangelizing community. 
• Priestly: Its members must actively participate in the liturgical and sacramental celebration of 
the church. 
• Kingly: The members of the family must become witnesses of Christ‘s love in their day­to­day 
Prophetic
• The family must 
be a place where 
the Gospel is 
transmitted and 
from which the 
Gospel radiates. 
• They must be 
evangelized so 
they can become 
evangelizers of 
many other 
families in their 
Priestly
• The strength of 
their mission can 
be nourished and 
sustained by 
constant prayers 
to God, 
frequently 
receiving the 
Eucharist and 
observance of 
the Sacrament of 
Reconciliation. 
Kingly
• The love within the 
family  should  be 
shared with others, 
reaching  out  to 
those  who  are  in 
need.  The  parents 
and  their  children 
must be the salt of 
the  world  and 
leaven in the midst 
of humanity. 
3. Four General
Tasks of the
Family
(FC, 18­64)
• Seat of
Communion
• Sanctuary of Life
• Agents of Social
Development
• Leaven of
Evangelization
Seat of Communion
• The Family is the place where parents become 
their children’s first teachers in the faith.
• Children, for their part, are called to accept the 
commandments.

Sanctuary of Life
• Every child deserves to be born of love.
• God made us instruments of his love, entrusting 
to us the responsibility for the future of mankind, 
through the transmission of human life. 
Agents of Social
Development
• The overall education of 
children is the “Most 
Serious Duty” and at the 
same time a “Primary Right” 
of parents.
• By their reception of the 
Sacrament of Marriage the 
parents become ministers 
of their children’s education.

Leaven of Evangelization
• Individuals enter upon an 
ecclesial experience of 
communion among 
persons.
• They Learn Care for one 
another and Mutual 
 a. Duties of Parents
The fecundity of conjugal love 
cannot be reduced solely to 
4. Duties of Family the procreation of children but 
must extend to their moral 
Members educa­tion and their spiritual 
formation. CCC, 2221.

• Parents have the first 
responsibility for the 
education of their children. 
CCC, 2225
• "The role of parents in 
education is of such 
importance that it is almost 
impossible to provide an 
adequate substitute.” GE, 3 
• The right and the duty of 
parents to educate their 
children are primordial and 
inalienable. FC, 36
Education in Virtues
(FC)
• Parents should teach their 
children to subordinate the 
"material and instinctual 
dimensions to interior and 
spiritual ones."

• Parents have a grave 
responsibility to give good 
example to their children. By 
knowing how to 
acknowledge their own 
failings to their children, 
parents will be better able to 
guide and correct them. 
Education in the Faith (FC)
• Parents should initiate their
children at an early age 
into the mysteries of the 
faith of which they are the 
"first heralds" for their 
children. 

• They should associate 
them from their tenderest 
years with the life of the 
Church. 
• A wholesome family life 
can foster interior 
dispositions that are a 
genuine preparation for a 
living faith and remain a 
support for it throughout 
Duties of Children, FC
Filial piety springs from the 
gratitude of children towards 
their parents. 

• "With all your heart honor 
your father, and do not forget 
the birth pangs of your 
mother. Remember that 
through your parents you 
were born; what can you 
give back to them that 
equals their gift to you?” 
(Sirach 7:27­28)
Filial respect is shown by true docility and obedience, FC
• "My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's 
teaching. . . . When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will 
watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you." (Prov 6:20­22.) 
• "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to 
rebuke.” (Prov 13:1.) 
 "Children, obey your  • As long as a child lives at home with his
parents in everything, for  parents, the child should obey his parents in all
this pleases the Lord” Col.  that they ask of him when it is for his good or
3:20;cf.Eph. 6:1.  that of the family. CCC, 2217
As they grow up, children
should continue to respect
their par­ents. CCC, 2217

• They should anticipate their wishes, 
willingly  seek  their  advice,  and 
accept their just admonitions. 

• Obedience  toward  parents  ceases 

with  the  emancipation  of  the 
children;  not  so  respect,  which  is 
always  owed  to  them.  This  respect 
has its roots in the fear of God, one 
of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 
To accomplish the action part, click on the tab MY FAMILY AS A 
DOMESTIC CHURCH in BB and you would be led to the JOURNALS tool, 
that’s where you write down your answers for the action part --- found 
on the next page.
Write in your journal the rituals or actions that your family perform to 
foster the spiritual (i.e., emotional, psychological, etc. ) growth of each 
member. How do these rituals or actions demonstrate the roles of 
everyone in the family? 

 (If there are none, take the initiative to lead your family to a communal 
activity that would demonstrate your care for one another.)

Describe the parent­child relationship in your family? how does this 
affect the person you have become?

*** You may include your reflection on this question in your CIP.
*** Until Saturday, 10pm.
*** See you on Tuesday for our synchronous session.
In  silence,  say  a  prayer  for  your  parents  and  concretely  express  to 
them  (in  prayer  and/or  personally)  your  gratitude  for  the  many 
sacrifices they make to ensure that your family is in good hands during 
these  uncertain  times.  Take time  also  to  be  with  your  siblings  (if  you 
have) to make them feel that you care for them.

Thank God for the gift of your family and pray to God to protect your 
family from all harm. 
UNIT II:
CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVES OF MARRIAGE

MARRIAGE IN THE SCRIPTURES

1. Old Testament
2. New Testament
3. Marriage as a covenant
Material prepared by:
Assoc. Prof. Allan Basas, SThD
Edited for AMV thy2 class discussion
When Fred married Malou fifteen years ago, he whispered a
promise to God that he would do everything to make his wife
happy, which means giving her and their children what they need
in life.

Presently, Fred’s income is just enough for their necessities, and

so to make ends meet, Malou needs to work just as hard, and
their children are satisfied with what they have. Special occasions
such as birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Christmas
Day makes Fred anxious and excited at the same time. It means
that he will have to set aside some personal pleasures like
eating merienda and taking the jeepney on his way home so that
he can save up a few hundred pesos for red roses and small gifts.
Fred never feels disheartened because whenever such feeling creeps up, he
always reminisces about his wedding day. This memory never fails to lift his
spirit because it reminds him of how blessed he is as God gave him a loving
wife and a best friend for life. Not only that, their kids, Andrew and Mariel,
are indeed bundles of joy.

Today is Fred’s birthday. A few days ago, his wife asked him what he wants as
a gift, and to this, he replied: just a kiss and a hug from his beautiful wife
and kids would be more than enough. He doesn’t want any gift because he
would prefer to use the money to pay the bills and give the kids an extra
allowance. That is what he wants, but Malou and the kids will always have
their way on this day. After all, it was not just Fred who saves up for special
occasions because his wife and kids also mark this day on their calendar as
Dad’s Day.
 Today, on his 50th birthday, his family fetched him from work. Their
celebration started by hearing the Mass, and after that, they headed for
their favorite Korean restaurant. Before dinner was over, Fred opened his
box of classic Jordan shoes as gift from his family, and of course, he got his
highly anticipated kiss and hugs from everybody. Fred’s happiness is
immense, not just because of this day but because for the past 15 years,
through thick and thin, his family is as strong as ever.
Why is marriage a
Covenant?
 Video 1
After Skool. “The Pros and Cons of Marriage.” August 15, 2017,
Video, 10:55.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSD2WW8xieY&t=10s

Video 2
Jordan Peterson Fan Channel. The Real Reason for Marriage –
Prof. Jordan Peterson. July 21, 2017. Video, 5:53.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_NNjV0s1o&t=29s
SYNCHRONOUS SESSION
Groups 1 and 2: Video 1
Groups 3 and 4: Video 2

Guide Questions for Breakout Sessions:

1. What are the descriptions of marriage that you find striking.
2. Do you agree with these descriptions? Why? Why not?
3. Is your view of marriage affirmed or not? Why?

Plenary Session
Sharing with the whole class (Mechanics):
1. Make a summary of classmates’ sharing in a one-slide ppt.
2. Choose a presenter who will share the output of the group.
3. Limit your presentation to 3 minutes (maximum or less).
The vocation to marriage is
written in the very nature of man
and woman as they came from
the hand of the Creator.

Marriage is not a purely human

institution despite the many
variations it may have undergone
through the centuries in different
cultures, social structures, and
spiritual attitudes. CCC, 1603
1. OLD TESTAMENT

MARRIAGE IS ROOTED IN CREATION

❖ In the Original Plan of God

"The intimate community of life
and love which constitutes the
married state has been established
by the Creator and endowed by
him with its own proper laws. . . .
GS48§1., CCC, 1603
❖ God Himself is the Author of
Marriage.GS48§1., CCC, 1603
Since God created him man and
woman, their mutual love
becomes an image of the
absolute and unfailing love with
which God loves man. It is good,
very good, in the Creator's eyes.

And this love which God blesses

is intended to be fruitful and to
be realized in the common work
of watching over creation:
"And God blessed them, and
God said to them: 'Be fruitful
and multiply and fill the earth
and subdue it.” Gen 1:28; cf. 1:31.
GENESIS CREATION STORIES

CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2

THE FAVORS GOD GAVE MAN

“Let us make man into our image
after our likeness. Man and
woman He created them.”
FIRST FAVOR
GOD GAVE MAN LIFE.
SECOND FAVOR
GOD PUT MAN IN A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN.
THIRD FAVOR
GOD PROVIDED MAN
A PARTNER.
FOURTH FAVOR
GOD CREATED THE SUITABLE PARTNER FOR MAN.
❖ The Holy Scripture affirms that
man and woman were created for
one another (CCC, 1605)

❑ "It is not good that the man should

be alone.” Gen 2:18.
❑ The woman, "flesh of his flesh," his
equal, his nearest in all things, is
given to him by God as a
"helpmate"; she thus represents
God from whom comes our help.”
Cf. Gen 2:18-25.
❑ Therefore, a man leaves his father
and his mother and cleaves to his
wife, and they become one flesh.”
Gen 2:24.
 ❖ The Consequence of Sin CCC, 1606
❑ Every man experiences evil around
him and within himself. This
experience makes itself felt in the
relationships between man and
woman.
❑

❑
GOD’S MERCY

❖ In his mercy God has not forsaken

sinful man.

❑ After the fall, marriage helps to

overcome self-absorption, egoism,
pursuit of one's own pleasure, and to
open oneself to the other, to mutual
aid and to self-giving. CCC, 1609
MARRIAGE IS ROOTED IN THE
COVENANT
THE CHOSEN PEOPLE
• A love that demands monogamy
• Patriarchal-genealogical emphasis where descendancy won over love
• Pregnancy and child-bearing was seen as source of dignity of the conjugal
union
• Children were seen as a blessing; the most important good of marriage for
the Jewish people.
THE CHOSEN PEOPLE
• Women were subordinates.
• Roles: wife, mothers, daughters
• Primary function was childbearing, to continue the male line

• DIVORCE initiated by the husband was a usual practice

• Barrenness was considered a disgrace
• Concubinage was tolerated
• LEVIRATE LAW
• The law that obligated a man to carry the wife of his dead brother in order to raise a
son to carry the deceased’s names and his right to family inheritance.

• PROPHETS’ TIME
• Hosea was first to see the relationship of husband and wife as a covenant
• He compared marriage with the covenant between God and Israel.
• Hosea fell in love with Gomer, a prostitute.
THE CHOSEN PEOPLE
• HUSBAND AND WIFE RELATIONSHIP IS LIKE YAHWEH TO ISRAEL
RELATIONSHIP
• Faithful until the end
• Covenantal fidelity
• Steadfast forgiving love
• Strength of duty and sensitivity of kindness
• Seeing God's covenant with Israel in the image of
exclusive and faithful married love, the prophets
prepared the Chosen People's conscience for a
deepened understanding of the unity and
indissolubility of marriage. CCC,1611; Hos 1-3; Isa 54;
62; fer 2-3; 31; Ezek 16; 23; Ma/ 2:13-17.
The books of Ruth and Tobit bear moving
witness to an elevated sense of marriage The Excellence of
and to the fidelity and tenderness of Marriage, Tobit 8:4b-9
spouses.
❑ The elevation of
the spiritual life
❑ The placement of
nobility above lust
❑ The recollection of
tradition
❑ The role of the
family
Tradition has always seen in the
Song of Solomon a unique
expression of human love,
insofar as it reflects God's love -
a love strong as death that
many waters cannot quench.
Song 8:6-7
Place me like a seal over your
heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding
as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.
HOSEA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7wHoafxLUY
MARRIAGE IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT
MARRIAGE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
• WEDDING FEAST AT CANA *GROUP 1
• QUESTIONS ON DIVORCE (MATTHEW; MARK) * GROUP 2
• ST. PAUL ON MARRIAGE *GROUP 3
• ST. PAUL ON LOVE *GROUP 4
2. NEW TESTAMENT
FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL
❑The nuptial covenant between God and his people Israel had prepared the way for the
new and everlasting covenant in which the Son of God, by becoming incarnate and
giving his life, has united to himself in a certain way all mankind saved by him, thus
preparing for "the wedding-feast of the Lamb.” Cf. Rev. 19:7, 9; cf. GS 22. CCC, 1612
On the threshold of his ❑ The Church attaches great importance to Jesus'
public life, Jesus performs presence at the wedding at Cana. She sees in it the
his first sign, at his confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the
mother's request, during proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an
a wedding feast. Cf. Jn 2:1-11. efficacious sign of Christ's presence. CCC 1613
❑ In his preaching, Jesus unequivocally
taught the original meaning of the
union of man and woman as the
Creator willed it from the beginning:
permission given by Moses to
divorce one's wife was a concession
to the hardness of hearts. CCC 1614; Cf.
Mt 19:8.

❑ The matrimonial union of man and

woman is indissoluble: God himself
has determined it "what therefore
God has joined together, let no man
put asunder.” CCC 1614; Mt 19:6.
By coming to restore the original order of
creation disturbed by sin, Jesus gives the
strength and grace to live marriage in the
new dimension of the Reign of God. CCC 1 6 1 5

❑ It is by following Christ,
renouncing themselves, and
taking up their crosses that
spouses will be able to
"receive" the original meaning
of marriage and live it with the
help of Christ. CCC 1 6 1 5 ; Mt 19:11
From the Letters of the St. Paul Eph. 5:25-26, 31-32.
❑ UNITY
"For this reason, a
man shall leave his
father and mother and
be joined to his wife,
and the two shall
become one. This is a
great mystery, and I
mean in reference to
Christ and the
Church.” Cf. Gen 2:24; CCC, 1616
 1 Cor 7:10-11. “To the married I

❑ INDISSOLUBILITY give charge, not I but the Lord, that

the wife should not separate from
her husband, but if she does, let
Exclusive and Permanent her remain single or else be
reconciled to her husband – and
that the husband should not
divorce his wife”.

Rom 7:2-3. “Thus, a married

woman is bound by law to her
husband as long as he lives; but if
her husband dies, she is
discharged from the law
concerning the husband.
Accordingly, she will be called an
adulteress if she lives with another
man while her husband is alive.
But if her husband dies, she is free
from that law, and if she remarries
another, she is not an adulteress”.
❑ Authentic Love Eph. 5:25-27 "Husbands,
love your wives, as Christ
Self-Sacrifice and loved the church and gave
himself up for her, that he
Commitment might sanctify her,"

Eph 5:22-24. “Wives, be

subject to your husbands,
as to the Lord. For the
husband is the head of the
wife as Christ is the head of
the church, his body, and is
himself its Savior. As the
church is subject to Christ,
so let wives also be subject
in everything to their
husbands.”
3. COVENANT

Christian marriage is an efficacious

sign, the sacrament of the covenant
of Christ and the Church.

❑ Since it signifies and com-

municates grace, marriage
between baptized persons is a
true sacrament of the New
Covenant. Cf. DS 1800; CIC, can. 1055 § 2; CCC, 1617
 Bible Projects. “Covenant.” January 19, 2015. Video, 5:45.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ferLIsvlmI

HEBREW GREEK LATIN

‫(ברית‬berith διαθηκη (diatheke) • Convenire
• Testamentum
❑ Describes a ❑ Used in the Greco- ❑ means to "come
compact made Roman law to together, unite;
Etymology be suitable,
by passing describe the
of the word between pieces settlement of an agree.
COVENANT of flesh. inheritance and ❑ To witness or
used in the NT to testify
describe the self-
commitment,
promises, and
conditions by
which God entered
into relationship
with man.
 COVENANT CONTRACT
❑ Motivated by sacrifice and love (I am ❑ Motivated by self-interest (This is
yours and you are mine). yours and this is mine).
❑ There is exchange of persons in ❑ There is the exchange of goods and
communion. services.
❑ In marital covenant, one sacrifices ❑ In a marital contract, one’s rights are
his/her rights and assumes protected and limits responsibilities.
responsibility. In the marital covenant,
both are asked to sacrificially love one
another till the day they die.
The matrimonial covenant…
❑ by which a man and a woman
establish between themselves a
partnership of the whole of life,
❑ is by its nature ordered toward
the good of the spouses and the
procreation and education of
offspring;
❑ this covenant between baptized
persons has been raised by
Christ the Lord to the dignity of
a sacrament.” CCC, 1601; Can.1055§1; cf.GS48§1.
It is an image and living sign of the covenant relationship
between God and His people.

The Old Testament uses the In the New Testament the

image of marital love to sacramental marriage of
reveal the relationship Christians signifies the love
binding God and his people. uniting Christ and his
Church.
 The primordial
model of the
family is to be
sought in God
Himself, in the
Trinitarian mystery
of His life. . . The
divine We is the
eternal pattern of
the human WE.
JPII, Letter to Families
 THEOLOGY 2
UNIT 2 - LESSON 2:

THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING AND

CHRISTIAN DIMENSIONS OF MARRIAGE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This ppt presentation and content are the work of the Course Developers
of THY2 of the Institute of Religion to be used by IR faculty teaching THY2. Some parts are edited
by Asst. Prof. Ma. Sanita Quilatan, PhD and Prof. Joan Christi Trocio-Bagaipo, PhD
Reminder: Observe and Respect the
Intellectual Property Rights Law (IPR).

This material is for your class in Theology only:

1. Do not share this material to anyone who is not
enrolled in our class.
2. Do not share this in any public/social media
sharing sites or study resources websites
(example: slideshare, course hero etc..)
 Intellectual Property Rights of materials/resources:
Understand that these materials and resources are the property of the
University of Santo Tomas, copyrighted to the respective authors of each
material or resource. Students shall use these materials and resources
(example: powerpoint/PDF files/ recorded videos of lesson, etc.…) only for
the intended purpose of learning in this course… to ensure that these
materials are not reproduced, shared, or used outside of the University
and for purposes not consistent with the intent of the course.
The Theological Understanding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy-9nugHRAI&t=5s
The Theological Perspective on Marriage
Augustine, before his conversion was once
a Manichean who believed that the body
was created by evil and therefore also evil,
though it holds a certain amount of
goodness. After he converted to the
Catholic Faith and his eventual election as
the Bishop of Hippo, he wrote several
treatises on marriage wherein he defines
the “goods of marriage” namely:
proles (procreation/offspring), fides
(fidelity), and sacramentum (sacrament).
St. Augustine (354 to 430 AD)
Doctor of the Church
Who is St. Augustine?
 Proles
“Marriage is good by virtue of the very reason for which it was
instituted: for the propagation of the human species, and this is
made possible by the conjugal act.”
For Augustine it is not merely the physical generation of new life
but brings about the bond of kinship between parents and
children.
“Offspring as good” – the receiving of them lovingly, the
nourishing of them humanely, and the educating of them
religiously”
- St. Augustine, De Genesis ad Literram, 9.7

- Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
Fides
Fidelity is the good of marriage
whereby the couple remains
faithful to each other as well as
offer mutual service to each
other, mutual service of
sustaining one another’s
weaknesses in order to shun
unlawful intercourse.
- St. Augustine, De Bono Conugali, 6, 6.

Mr. & Mrs. Derek & Margaret Firth (both 91 years old) Married for 70 years (2021)
 Fides
“The husband should fulfill his duty toward his
wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband.
A wife does not have authority over her own
body, but rather her husband, and similarly a
husband does not have authority over his own
body, but rather his wife.”

(1 Corinthians 7:3-4)
Augustine affirms St. Paul’s teaching when he stated:

• “Not only do marriage people owe each other the fidelity of sexual
intercourse for the sake of procreation,… They also owe each other a sort
of mutual service for the sustaining of each other’s weakness, so that they
may avoid illicit intercourse. As a result, even if one of them would prefer
to adopt perpetual continence, it is not permitted without the consent of
the partner… But while continence has greater merit, it is no sin to pay the
conjugal debt; and although to demand it beyond the need for procreation
is a forgivable fault, certainly fornication and adultery are crimes that must
be punished. Therefore, the charity of marriage must be careful that, in
seeking greater honor for itself, it does not incur a situation in which a
spouse incurs damnation.” - Augustine, De bono coniugali 6-7
 Sacramentum
Refers to the indissolubility of marriage as well as the
monogamous reality of the married relationship.
Augustine identified the symbolic character of the marital
union to the relationship of Christ to the Church.
There is in the nuptial bond a permanent character that
cannot be dissolved either by separation or by union with
another, save by the death of either the husband or the wife.
- St. Augustine, De Bono Conugali, 24, 32.
Sacramentum
Entering into the marriage
contract is a matter of such
sacredness that it is not annulled
by that separation.
Augustine affirms marriage as
something which is so sacred that
it cannot be dissolved even by
physical separation in as much as
even if the couple no longer live
together.
St. Thomas Aquinas expounded on the
nature of Marriage as a Natural
Institution (an office of nature) and as a
Sacrament.

He maintained:
1. Offspring is the principal end of
marriage (begetting & the
education of children)
2. The secondary end – refers to the
entire communion that exists St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
between the couple for the Doctor of the Church

fulfillment of the principal end.

–Summa Theologiae, Suppl., Q. 49, art 2, 1
• St. Thomas Aquinas defended the issue that marriage is
indivisible, that it should be between one man & one woman.
• Hence the natural properties of marriage:
1. Permanence (indissolubility)
2. Unity (exclusiveness)

• Thomas also devoted a treatise on matrimonial consent

which is the essential element for the entrance into the
marriage state.
• This consent is a free and internal act of the will of man and
woman towards those things necessary to accomplish the
essential end s of marriage. It is through this consent that the
conjugal bond is established.
–Summa Contra Gentiles, CH. 123, 124
• Marriage is a Sacrament insofar as “it denotes a sanctifying
remedy against sin, offered to man under sensible signs”
–Summa Theologiae, Suppl., Q. 42, art 1

• It confers grace which enables the husband and wife to those

works which are required in matrimony to achieve its end.
• St. Thomas Aquinas considered the marital act as integral to
marriage.
• The marital act is licit when:
1. the couple perform it for the purpose of begetting children
2. or rendering the marital act to the other – responding to the
requesting spouse.
• For Thomas, seeking pleasure in the marital act is not by it self
a mortal sin
 Thomas Aquinas, affirms the words of Augustine in his
commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians:
• “Hence it should be noted that the conjugal act is
sometimes meritorious and without any mortal or
venial sin, as when it is directed to the good of
procreation and education of a child for the worship
of God; for then it is an act of religion; or when it is
performed for the sake of “rendering the debt”, it is
an act of justice. But every virtuous act is meritorious,
if it is performed with charity.
• The significant contribution of St. Thomas Aquinas to the
Christian Theology of Marriage was his justification of the marital
act as a way of fostering the good of fidelity (fides).
• He acknowledged the role of love of friendship in marriage
• He affirmed that the friendship of the husband and wife is the
greatest, and that the love of the man for his wife is the most
intense of loves because she is united with her husband, as one
flesh.
• He mentioned the need for the couple to deepen their love in
fidelity (for the indivisibility of marriage)
• He discussed the issue of exclusiveness (monogamous relationship)
-(SCG III,II Ch 123, n.8; S.T. II-II, Q26,11; SCG III, II, Ch 123, n.8)
• What may be inferred from his theological reflections
is that:

the profound marital friendship could be intensified by

the physical expression that is integral to it, although he
also affirmed that sexual intercourse is not the whole of
friendship of the husband and wife.

- Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
The following are salient points in the
teaching of the Council:

1. Marriage is a divine institution and was

elevated by Christ to the level of the
sacrament. (gives grace for the spouses)
2. The unity and indissolubility of marriage
and its character sanctifying the spouses.
(defined during Protestant Reformation who sought
to justify divorce)
3. The power of the Church over the
sacrament of marriage. (entrusted by Christ to
the Church)
4. The requirement of canonical form as Council of Trent
determined by the Church. (requirements for 1545–63
the validity of marriage)
In the 18th century renowned moral
theologian, Alphonsus Liguori
taught emphatically that the
conjugal act as an expression of
genuine love and indissoluble
faithfulness, it is in itself honorable.
- Alphonsus Liguori, Theologia Moralis, Lib VI, tr VI, Cap. II, n. 900

St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

Who is St. Alphonsus Liguori? Doctor of the Church
 • A landmark in the development of the theology of
marriage was the encyclical “Casti Conubii” by Pius XI in
1930. This was a reaction to a historical decision of the
Anglican bishops to separate the procreative and unitive
ends of marriage by allowing contraception.

• The Pope defended the primacy of procreation but he

significantly drew a more positive value from the good
of fides or fidelity as not only the reciprocal exclusion of
others outside marriage, but also the mutual inclusion of
the spouses into each others personal life.

• He also affirmed mutual love, the blending of life and

mutual interchange and sharing, as the primary purpose Pope Pius XI (b.1857- d. 1939)
1922-1939
of marriage as long as marriage was not taken in the
“restricted sense” as instituted for the procreation of
children (Casti Conubii, 14).
Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997 What is Casti Conubii?
 Pius XII and the Personal Dimension of Marriage

He defined the marital act as the personal

action of the spouses:

“the simultaneous and direct cooperation

of husband and wife which, by the very
nature of the agents and the propriety of
the act, is the expression of mutual giving
which result in the union of one flesh”
- Pius XII, Address to the Catholic Wives, 1951

Pope Pius XII (b.1876- d. 1958)

1939-1958
 Pius XII and the Personal Dimension of Marriage
• He emphasized the inseparability of procreation and the
sexual act.
• The Pope expresses a novel insistence that the value of love
was to be inseparable from the marital relationship and
from its expression in marital intercourse.
• “This sexual union finds full expression by bringing into play
the organic functions, the associated sensible emotions and
the spiritual, unconditional love which emanate from the
union. It is the unity of this human act that the biological
conditions of generation ought to be considered.” –Pope Pius XII
- Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
Pius XII and the Personal Dimension of Marriage

• Pius XII puts balance to the physical and personal

values of marriage and the marital act.

• His teaching on the personalist value of the marital

act dispelled any doubt regarding its licitness when
the wife is infertile or pregnant, and for that matter
the legitimacy of the natural means of spacing
children.
- Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Vatican II on the Partnership of Life and Love

• Vatican II’s reflection on marriage

and sexuality is found in the
document “Gaudium et Spes”

• It defines Marriage as “the intimate

partnership of married life and love
established by the Creator, qualified
by His laws, and is rooted in the
conjugal covenant of irrevocable
consent.” – GS, 48
What is Vatican II? Gaudium et Spes? 1964
• Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes - acknowledges that the lasting bond
brought about by the matrimonial consent is for the good of the
spouses, and not only the good of the offspring or society.

• “Thus man and woman, who by the marriage covenant of conjugal love are no
longer two but one flesh, render mutual help and service to each other through
an intimate union of their persons and their actions.

• Through this union they experience the meaning of their oneness and attain it
with growing perfection day by day.

• As a mutual gift of two persons, this intimate union as well as the good of the
children, imposes a total fidelity on the spouse and argues for an unbreakable
oneness between them” – GS, 48
• The document extolled conjugal love as eminently human,
enriching the expressions of the body and the mind with unique
dignity, leading the spouses to the free and mutual gift of
themselves, a gift providing itself by gentle affection and by deed.

• “It is noble and worthy insofar as it signifies and promotes the

mutual self-giving by which spouses enrich each other with joyful
and thankful will.” – (GS, 50)

This was a departure from the early dominant theological

thought demanding an excuse, example procreative intent, to
render the act licit.
- Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
• Aside from extolling conjugal act as the source of richness of the marital
act, the document deliberately omitted the classification of the primary
and secondary ends of marriage.

• Although it reiterated the traditional teaching that by their nature

marriage & the conjugal act are ordained to the procreation and
education of children, this truth should not make the other purposes of
matrimony of less account.

• The document concern is to harmonize conjugal love with the values

pertaining to the transmission of life. It strives to show that there could
be no contradiction between the two.
• The acts themselves which are proper to the conjugal act and which are
exercised in accord with genuine human dignity must be honored with
reverence.
- Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Advice to the Married.* 1 Corinthians 7:1-9
1Now in regard to the matters about which you wrote: “It is a good
thing for a man not to touch a woman,”*
2but because of cases of immorality every man should have his own
wife, and every woman her own husband.
3The husband should fulfill his duty toward his wife, and likewise the
wife toward her husband.
4A wife does not have authority over her own body, but rather her
husband, and similarly a husband does not have authority over his
own body, but rather his wife.
5Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a
time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that
Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control.
6This I say by way of concession,* however, not as a command.
7Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a particular gift
from God,* one of one kind and one of another.a
8* b Now to the unmarried and to widows, I say: it is a good thing for
them to remain as they are, as I do,
St. Paul
9but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is (b. 4BCE – d. 63 or 64 CE)
better to marry than to be on fire.
A remedy for concupiscence?
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/7
First, The apostle recognizes the
importance of sexual intimacy in marriage
when he mentioned the need of the
husband and wife to have sexual relations
with each other as a means of fulfilling their
“marital duty.”
Second, Paul reminds us of Genesis
that mentions man and one becoming
one body. Paul, reiterates this by
saying that both man and woman in
married relationship have ownership
over the sexuality and fertility of each
other. He acknowledges the natural
sexual urges that come within the
relationship and reminds both couples
to always seek and be mindful of each
other’s consent.
Third, the apostle reminds couple not to
deprive each other of this marital duty if only
for a time since it is recognized in the first
instance that sex is indeed an integral part of
the married relationship.
 • He explained the values of sexuality in
marriage.
• He rejected the claim that sexuality is
something purely biological.

• For him it pertains to the innermost being of

the human person and it can be realized in a
truly human way only if it is an integral part of
the love by which man and woman commit
themselves totally to one another.

• The conjugal act signifies love and potential

fecundity. Conjugal love pervade the entire
Pope St. John Paul II (b. 1920- d. 2005)
communion of persons called by God to the 1978-2005
vocation of parenthood. Canonized 2014

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 • Husband and wife are called to express
the mysterious “language” of the body in
all truth proper to it.
• The interior truth and the dignity of the
communion of persons between husband
and wife.
• Conjugal love involves the totality in
which all elements of the person enter.
• Conjugal love demands a radical self-
giving from both the husband and the Pope St. John Paul II (b. 1920- d. 2005)
wife. 1978-2005
Canonized 2014

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 THEOLOGY 2
UNIT 2 - LESSON 3:
*Lesson 6 of the Prelim Period

CHRISTIAN DIMENSIONS OF MARRIAGE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: This ppt presentation and content are the work of the Course Developers
of THY2 of the Institute of Religion to be used by IR faculty teaching THY2. Some parts are edited
by Asst. Prof. Ma. Sanita Quilatan, PhD.
Reminder: Observe and Respect the
Intellectual Property Rights Law (IPR).

This material is for your class in Theology only:

1. Do not share this material to anyone who is not
enrolled in our class.
2. Do not share this in any public/social media
sharing sites or study resources websites
(example: slideshare, course hero etc..)
 Intellectual Property Rights of materials/resources:
Understand that these materials and resources are the property of the
University of Santo Tomas, copyrighted to the respective authors of each
material or resource. Students shall use these materials and resources
(example: powerpoint/PDF files/ recorded videos of lesson, etc.…) only for
the intended purpose of learning in this course… to ensure that these
materials are not reproduced, shared, or used outside of the University
and for purposes not consistent with the intent of the course.
The Christian Dimensions of Marriage
The Christian Dimensions of Marriage
 Marriage as a Contract
• Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a
man and a woman entered into in accordance of the law for
the establishment of conjugal and family life. It is the
foundation of the family and an inviolable social institution
whose nature, consequences, and incidents are governed by
law and not subject to stipulation by the spouses.

Let us examine closely the definition and - The Family Code of the Philippines
discuss the words that are highlighted.
 Marriage as a Contract
• Marital Consent is an indispensable element in the validity of
the marital contract.
• Marital consent marks the beginning of the marital
relationship. It is that indispensable element that makes the
marriage (CCC, 1625).
• Consent is the human act by which the partners mutually
give themselves to each other.
• This is especially expressed by these or similar words:
“I take you to be my wife”
“I take you to be my husband.”

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marital Consent
• Marital Consent is the internal act of the will by which
man and woman, by an irrevocable covenant, accept one
another for the purpose of establishing marriage (Canon, no.1957).
• As an act of the will, the consent must be FREE.
• It is freely elicited [elicited human act & not commanded human act]
when the persons are capable of exchanging such
consent, that is, that they are not being under constraint,
and that they are not impeded by natural or ecclesiastical
law.
• Consent is personally given by the spouse & never by any
other person on their behalf.
Do you remember the difference between elicited
Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997 human acts and commanded human acts?
 Marital Consent
• Consent is so important that when it is shown or proved
to be defective, then marriage is considered invalid.
• The following should be present:
1. Adequate knowledge of what the couples are entering
into
2. Free decision to embrace the married life & all its
obligation
Both are necessary to express a valid consent.
• Externalization of consent is necessary for the validity of
the marital contract because this is th eoly way to know
the presence of such consent.
Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marital Consent
*Here are some factors that renders the person incapable of consent:
1. lack of sufficient use of reason.
2. serious lack of judgmental discretion concerning the matrimonial
rights & duties which are to be mutually offered and accepted;
3. serious psychic anomaly which renders the person incapable of
assuming the essential obligations of matrimony
4. ignorance or lack of knowledge that marriage is permanent &
ordained toward procreation & education of children through
sexual cooperation
5. error, that is wrong judgement concerning the person; when the
person is deceived by fraud perpetuated to obtain consent

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marital Consent
*Here are some of the obstacles that impede the exercise of
freedom:
1. Force or coercion;
2. Grave fear inflicted from outside the person, even when
inflicted unintentionally

*Marriage is considered invalid when the person is

compelled to choose it.
One quality of consent that can be given only by those who
have attained maturity and stability: irrevocability.

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marital Consent
• Marital consent brings about a bond between man and woman.

• Christian tradition has always considered this bond to be indissoluble.

• The conjugal bond is ordered objectively for the purposes of
marriage, that husband and wife are endowed with duties and
obligations to attain such ends and purposes (good of the children
and good of the spouses themselves).

• This is based on the natural law reasoning popularized by St. Thomas

Aquinas

• Furthermore, Marriage is not just a contract but a COVENANT

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as a Covenant

•Unlike a Contract which binds

the couple to the law and
upon the agreed upon terms,
Covenant entails a deeper
layer of trust, love and
consent between the couple.
 Marriage as a Covenant
• In a contract the focus is on matters agreed upon by the parties –
pledge and rules…

• In a covenant – though also basically an agreement, it is more than an

agreement. The focus is on the persons entering into it and LOVE
which is the motivating factor that brings them together.

• Hence, Marriage is a Love-Covenant – “marriage is a covenant, by

which man and woman establish between themselves, a partnership
of their whole life” (Canon 1055).

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as a Covenant
• In the Jewish tradition, a covenant forms a relationship
equal in binding force to that of blood relationship.
• This covenant between husband and wife mirrors the
covenant God made with His people.
• God showed unwavering fidelity in the covenant.
• This covenant is enriched in that love relationship between
Jesus Christ and all of us, His Church.
• His covenant features: love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and
fidelity.

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as a Covenant
• This covenant is based on a special friendship; it is a
dynamic alliance and an open-minded commitment; it
involves a certain kind of relationship that lasts since it is
based on a promise of a communion of life, of shared ideals
and love.
There are 3 persons involved in this holy alliance:
Husband, wife, and God

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as a Covenant
Ends of Marriage
1. The good of the spouses – “Conjugal love involves
a totality of all the elements: sexual appeal,
instinct, feeling, affection, aspiration of spirit and
will. But this aims at a deeply personal unity,
beyond union in one flesh, leads to forming one
heart and soul” – (John Paul II, F.C. 13)
Love is the pre-requisite, the motivating factor,
& the soul of marriage.

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as a Covenant
Ends of Marriage
2. The good of the children – in the covenant, children are
considered as the fruits of the conjugal love. They are the
extension of that lasting pact, and witnesses to their
unwavering fidelity to one another
Since God is always present in the covenant, then the task of
procreation in marriage is considered as a generous way in
cooperating in God’s work of creation.
Children are not considered burdens, but as gifts and the
crowning glory of marriage and married love (G.S.48)

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as a Covenant
Properties of Marriage:
1. Unity or Exclusiveness: Enriched by the spouses’
faithfulness
2. Indissolubility or Permanence: Enriched by the
spouses’ struggles for lastingness
3. Openness to Fertility: Enriched by Fruitfulness in
the marital life.

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
Marriage as a Sacrament
• Sacraments are sensible signs,
instituted by Christ which confer
grace.
• Marriage becomes a Sacrament
through the mutual self giving and
acceptance of the couple which in
turn reflects the love of God to
people around the couple.
• They become a sacrament
reminding people of the presence
of Christ. The one who instituted
the sacrament of marriage.
 Marriage as SACRAMENT
1. Marriage as a sign and symbol – the couple’s mutual gift
and acceptance of each other which takes place in the
rite is traditionally considered as the sign-element of the
sacrament of matrimony.
They speak of a commitment that would bind them for life.
This signifies that they desire to belong to each other in a
manner that Christ’s wills to give himself to the Church in a
loving and undying union.

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as SACRAMENT
2. Marriage as the Sign of the Saving Presence of Christ
“He abides with them in order that by their mutual self-giving spouses
will love each other with enduring fidelity… Authentic married love is
caught up into divine love & is directed and enriched by the redemptive
power of Christ and salvific action of the Church” (GS, 48)
In Baptism we are incorporated into the life of Christ and His Church.
Thus, there is no valid marriage for baptized Christians but the
sacrament of matrimony. Their marriage cannot be but marriage in the
Lord.
Christ restored marriage to its original dignity and even made it a
channel of saving grace for the husband and the wife.
They receive form Christ His saving grace.
Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as SACRAMENT
3. Marriage as a Saving Grace
Christ dwells with them, gives them the strength to take up their
crosses and so follow Him, to rise again after they have fallen, to forgive
one another, to bear one another’s burdens, and to love one another
with the supernatural, tender, and fruitful love (CCC, 1642).

Christian spouses have their own special gifts in the People of God…
this grace proper to the sacrament of Matrimony intended to perfect
the couple’s love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity. By this
grace they help one another to attain holiness in their married life & in
welcoming and educating their children (Lumen Gentium, 2).

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as SACRAMENT
4. Marriage as a Celebration – It is a joyous celebration, an
occasion filled with emotions, mostly joy and excitement.
It is the solemn entry of the spouses into a binding
commitment before God and the Christian community (CFC, 1899).
It is a public declaration of their love-commitment before
Christ and the Church.
The public character of the consent protects the “I do” once
given, and helps the spouses remain faithful to it.

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as SACRAMENT
4. Marriage as a Celebration
The ecclesiastical form requires the groom and the bride to express
freely and publicly their consent to take each other as husband and
wife before the presence of the priest or deacon, and witnesses in
these similar words:
I take you as my lawful husband (or wife) according to the rite of holy
Mother Church
I give myself to you as your wife (or husband)
I take you as my lawful husband (or wife)
*These words may take the form of questions as ked by the priest to
which the groom and the bride say, “I do.”

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as SACRAMENT
4. Marriage as a Celebration
After these exchange of vows, the couple pray to the Lord together:
“Grant us, O Lord, to be one heart and soul from this day forward, for
better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until
death do us part.”
*Since they are the one who mutually confer upon each other the
sacrament of Matrimony, the husband and wife are considered the
ministers of Christ’s grace.
The priest or the deacon who assists the celebration only receives the
consent in the name of the Church and gives the blessing.
Normally takes place during the Mass – the Eucharist.
Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage as SACRAMENT
4. Marriage as a Celebration
They renew this covenant in the Eucharist and in their
conjugal act.
The conjugal act is intended by God to be a renewal of faith
and love pledged by the couple when they entered the
covenant of marriage.
The conjugal act is the renewal of the couple’s marital
covenant, a symbol of their commitment of marital love
(Kippley, 1994).

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
Marriage as a Vocation
• Marriage is a call by God to join him
in the creative act of bringing new
life into the word. It is a call to also
join God in being a steward, not just
a co creator but to also guide this
new life and affect goodness in the
world.
 Marriage is a Vocation

• Marriage is not only a call to holiness, it is a way to holiness

for those called to enter married life (Bacani, 1988)
• Marriage is a gift and a mission.
• As a gift, it is the source of joy, blessings, gratitude, grace
for husband and wife. The spouses themselves are God’s
gift to one another.
• Christ wants them to continue being channels of grace to
each other all their life. (Bacani, 1988)
• They are instruments of salvation for each other because
they are married in the Lord.
.
Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage is a Vocation

• Marriage is a call to parenthood.

• The sacred duty entrusted to the spouses not only to
share in God’s procreative act, but also to embark on a
mission to form their offspring to become fully human,
thereby become children of God, full partakers of divine
life.
• They are called to mold their children to become mature
citizens of the earth and citizens of heaven.

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997
 Marriage is a Vocation

• “God loves them so much that they can discover each

other more and more as living reminders of His divine
presence.” (Henri Nouwen)
• When they see Jesus in their relationship, then they
come to understand more the cross that the marital life
entails, precisely because their life partakes of the quality
of Christ’s love manifested in the mysteries of His passion,
death, and resurrection.

Tamerlane Lana, Santos, Ocampo, Laig “Marriage a Commitment” Love, Life, and Family , UST Publishing House, 1997